Improvement in gates



UNITED STATES PATENT EEICE.

WILLIAM A. PENNEY, OF MORRISVILLE, NORTH CAROLINA, ASSIGNOR TO HIM- SELF AND SAMUEL R. HORNE, OF SAME PLACE.

IMPROVEMENT IN GATES.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 120,770, dated November 7, 1871.

To all whom 'it may concern:

Be it known that I, WILLIAM A. PENNEY, of Morrisville, in the county of Wake and State of North Carolina, have inventedl certain Improveinent in Gates; and I do hereby declare that the following is a full, clear, and eXact description thereof, which will enable others skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is a side elevation of the gate closed. Fig. 2 is a top view of the gate opened and standing at right angles, and Fig. 3 isa detached view of the lock. V

This invention relates toa gate havinga groove in the under side of its upper rail, into which extends a vertical pin springing from an arrn eX- tending from one gate-post, which pin guides the gate as it runs backward or forward, the gate being provided with an apparatus for automatically turning it when half opened to a position at right angles with that which it occupies when closed, and for fastening it in this position, and being also provided with a novel device for locking the gate when closed.

Referring to the drawing, a is the upper rail of the slidinggate, said rail having in its under side the longitudinal groove b, into which extends the vertical pin c that springs from a horizontal bar, d, that crosses from the top of the post c on one side of the gate to the post j on the other side. This pin and groove guide the gate as it travels. A horizontal spring, j', standing at an inclination to the gate, is fastened atits front end to one side thereof. When the gate is slid halfway open, more or less, the spring f strikes a vertical elastic bar, g, attached to one side of the post e and projecting somewhat above the top of the saine. The bar g, acted upon by the spring j', causes the gate to swing open into a position at right angles to what it occupies when closed or sliding backward and forward on the grooved roller h. A spring catch, t', seizes the gate when thus swung open and holds it securely until the gate is released from it. The post k has a horizontal slot, across which passes a pin, Z, that extends through the post. The pin l is cut away at one side, leaving asquare face. The bar m of the gate has a pointed projecting end, 'm1, with a transverse notch, m2. When the gate is closed the end m1 enters the slot in the post la, passing under the pin l, and turning the same by passing on the lower edge of its square face. As soon as the groove m2 coines under the pin l the latter is rotated backto its original position by the weight of the handle a in the knob o, thus iilling the groove and locking the gate. To unlock the gate, turn the handle n up to a horizontal position.

Having thus described my invention, what I clailn as new, and desire to secure by Letters Pat ent is l The rail a provided with the groove b, and

.combined with the spring f, elastic bar g, catch i, and pin c, as specified.

2. The slotted post 7c combined with the faced pin l, knob o, and handle a, as described.

WILLIAM A. PENNEY. 

